Former Pakistan all-rounder and bowling coach Azhar Mahmood has joined England’s camp for their three-match T20I series against Pakistan.

Azhar joined England squad as Assistant Bowling coach for the series.

Azhar, 45, will join the English squad as Assistant Bowling coach for the series.

Graham Thorpe will assume head coaching duties while Chris Silverwood is involved in the Test bubble, with Paul Collingwood - who oversaw the 2-1 series win over Ireland - acting as No. 2. Marcus Trescothick has been seconded as batting coach, Jon Lewis and Azhar Mahmood will look after the bowlers and James Foster is named wicketkeeping coach.

Azhar has represented Pakistan in 143 ODIs and 21 Test matches and was Pakistan’s bowling coach from 2016 to 2019 with Mickey Arthur as the head coach of the team. He was also Surrey’s player-coach before the appointment with the Pakistan team.

England also confirmed 14 members squad for the three-match T20I series that starts from August 28.

Dawid Malan and Chris Jordan returned to the England white-ball squad with Joe Denly is included after being forced out of the Ireland series with a back spasm on the eve of the first ODI. 

With a number of first-choice players still involved in the ongoing Tests against Pakistan, there is also a recall for allrounder Lewis Gregory but James Vince misses out. Liam Livingstone and Reece Topley, who made his first international appearance in four years in the second Ireland ODI before suffering a groin injury, are among the reserves, alongside Pat Brown, who has also returned from a back problem after making his T20I debut last year.

All three T20Is against Pakistan will take place at Emirates Old Trafford, with the first match on Friday week. England will play Australia in three T20Is and three ODIs behind closed doors from September 4.

England squad:

Eoin Morgan (Middlesex, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire, wkt), Tom Banton (Somerset), Sam Billings (Kent), Tom Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Lewis Gregory (Somerset), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), David Willey (Yorkshire)

Reserves:

Pat Brown (Worcestershire), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Reece Topley (Surrey)

Fixtures

Aug 28: England v Pakistan, 1st T20, Old Trafford (1700 GMT)

Aug 30: England v Pakistan, 2nd T20, Old Trafford (1300 GMT)

Sep 01: England v Pakistan, 3rd T20, Old Trafford (1700 GMT)